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What is youth theatre?
Introduction
‘Youth theatre’ is a phrase which describes a distinct sphere of activity but a whole galaxy of possibilities. The membership of NAYT is very broad and embraces many different models of practice. Groups range from the youth sections of amateur societies, to large, well-resourced, professionally-led groups attached to venues, to youth service led groups working with marginalised young people, to small independent groups gathered around an individual leader. This section looks at some of the elements that characterise and define youth theatre work in all its diversity.
During 2002 the Centre for Applied Theatre Research (CATR) at Manchester University embarked upon a study of youth theatre for NAYT. From their early research they proposed the identification of a series of youth theatre models. Jenny Hughes and Karen Wilson of CATR explain and define four possible models of youth theatre:
‘Youth theatre’ is a broad term used to describe a wide variety of organisations and approaches engaging young people in theatre related activities. Youth theatre takes place outside of formal education, is adult led and based on the voluntary participation of young people. Youth theatre is believed to have wide-ranging beneficial impacts upon young people, positively contributing to transitions from childhood to adulthood. There are an estimated 700 youth theatres in England and Wales. The first stage of the research attempted to identify the models of practice that exist in current provision. This is no easy task. Youth theatres exist within specific contexts and their development has been influenced in many different ways. During the early stages of the research, twenty-three distinct types of youth theatre organisations were identified. There are probably many more.
Youth theatre models
It is important to talk about youth theatre models because the discussion encourages critical debate and supports the development of more reflective practice. However, it is also important that we recognise and respect the variety of projects that have sprung from specific contexts, local partnerships and specific needs.
Research has shown that most youth theatres have two overlapping impacts: They provide access to theatre processes and products and they facilitate the personal and social development of young people. In accordance with this, most youth theatres display characteristics related to theatre practice and to youth work.
Different youth theatres show different degrees of overlap between theatre practice and youth work. Some youth theatres see impacts on personal and social development as an incidental effect of working on high quality, challenging arts processes. Others will tackle issues of personal and social development more directly, using theatre as the vehicle.
Four models of youth theatre
Research suggests that current youth theatre provision falls into four main models:
Theatre/arts model The ‘reason for being’ is to provide access to drama and theatre processes. Other outcomes may be by-products of this work (eg personal and social development) but the driving force is to create theatre and drama. Youth theatres that belong to this model may be based within local theatre buildings or aligned to established amateur organisations, or may be independent of any other theatre context but have a strong theatrical identity in their own right. One example of practice that falls within this category is the ‘one wo/man band’ approach, i.e. the individual who provides weekly drama sessions in a local church hall. The ‘reason for being’ is still to provide access to drama and theatre skills, but within a less well resourced context.
Community model The ‘reason for being’ is to reflect and represent concerns of specific communities and to promote community development and action. Community youth theatres will focus on active involvement and participation of young people in the process of devising work. Artistic products reflect and provide a platform for the specific concerns of groups. Many projects have political aims. The driving force is to promote community identity and address community issues. There are far fewer existing groups within this category (it is likely that this model was more prevalent in the 1970s and 1980s).
Youth arts model The ‘reason for being’ and overriding aim is to support the personal, social and political development of young people. Drama is used as a means to this end, not an end in itself. This model most commonly exists within partnerships between youth work based agencies and drama organisations and practitioners. Many youth theatres adhere to the philosophies of youth work, but fewer have them as their primary aim.
Applied theatre model The reason for being is to address specific issues using theatre as a tool. Examples include special initiatives with young offenders addressing crime, working with excluded young people to facilitate re-engagement with mainstream education and health promotion projects. This model is most likely to exist within partnerships between youth work or the education service, and drama organisation and practitioners. Some provision within the applied theatre model falls outside of our definition of youth theatre - which prioritises the voluntary engagement of young people.
The range of practice
Within the defined models of youth theatre there is a wide range of practice.
In terms of both process and product
In terms of access
In terms of participation
Process and product debates
NAYT has found that discussion about practice between those working in youth theatre can often centre on process versus product’ considerations. The stereotype behind this is: Youth workers are interested in personal development through informal social education (process); theatre workers are interested in making theatre (product). Youth work has one agenda; making an artistic statement through theatre has another. So where should youth theatre sit?
There is a sense in which the process versus product’ debate has no real solution. This is because basically it is a false polarisation. The real excitement of good youth theatre work lies in bringing the two processes of making theatre and informal learning closer together.
Process and product The most effective youth theatre projects can in fact be seen to be those that involve workers with the right combination of social and artistic skills. Their aim is to create quality projects where young people can have a positive and empowering experience combined with a real sense of attainment. The depth of process involved in any youth theatre project is central to its success in terms of the quality of young people’s learning. The final product is then also important for promoting a sense of achievement amongst the participants.
Celebrating achievements The achievements of young people in youth theatre have the potential to be celebrated and profiled widely. A theatre arts product can often be something that becomes a focal point of public interest. For example, the products of projects may include theatre and circus presentations, videos, digital recordings, music and dance events, fashion shows, performance poetry, magazines and exhibitions.
The young people involved as participants in a youth theatre project are going to get more sense of achievement from a quality outcome than from an average one. Quality outcomes deserve to be both well profiled and celebrated. Hence the ideal is that there should be an in-depth process that links with a dynamic product. It can be argued that, in terms of youth theatre work, this is what ‘good practice’ is largely all about.
Issues in youth theatre
Here are just some of the issues, now emerging more clearly through the CATR and other research, that are common in youth theatre work.
The influence of core workers Differing cultures exist within specific organisations and projects, reflecting the approach and personality of founders and individual workers. This is a factor that affects and influences the quality and the impact of the work. There are variations in the levels of experience, expertise, skills and understanding of practice within the paid and volunteer workforce that delivers youth theatre activities.
Recruitment of participants Youth theatres attract and recruit participants in different ways. Some draw participants from the general population, others target particular groups. Some have an ‘open-door’ policy, others hold auditions.
The issue of access/inclusion Many youth theatres are seeking to make youth theatre accessible to a wider demographic range to reflect the government’s priority of social inclusion.
Participation Facilitating young people’s participation in decision-making is also a general issue, again reflecting social policy.
Funding The levels and means of funding are variable and in terms of support, the sector suffers from fragmentation and a low profile with funding bodies.
Accommodation and equipment Youth theatres have a wide variety of different bases ranging through from church halls to state-of-the-art theatres.
The learning benefits
It is NAYT’s view that in the context of Government social and education priorities (social inclusion, learning to learn and learning for life, etc.), it is more important than ever to highlight the learning benefits of youth theatre work. There is a growing body of impressive research evidence to illustrate that the value of youth theatre and arts involvement for young people is potentially enormous.
Benefits The benefits identified in research studies include:
Young people participating in youth theatre projects learn things about themselves; they learn to co-operate with others, to think independently, to be imaginative and to analyse difficult emotional and moral questions. In the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) "Arts in their View" study, young people give specific examples of ways in which participation in the arts generally helped them to:
Some benefits are easy for an observer to see. For example, a young person gains confidence as the result of participating in a youth theatre project and moves into employment. Some benefits are more real for participants than for the observer. Friendships are made, different groups within communities develop a greater respect for each other and self-confidence grows within an individual.
The importance of youth theatre
There is evidence to show that many more policy makers and service providers are recognising the importance of youth theatre to young people. Youth theatre work is becoming more widely regarded, not only as being valuable in its own right, but also as a means of furthering key educational, economic and community development objectives. There is growing awareness that the development of the creative potential of young people is an essential preparation for a changing world.
What do young people think?
Youth Theatre Yorkshire (YT-Y), which was founded in 1983, recently sent out a questionnaire to a sample of ex-members. One aim was to find out how youth theatre had affected the lives and careers of past participants. This is what they said:
“Youth theatre definitely gave me confidence, a broader outlook, a more creative imagination and lots of opportunities at a young age. I also made some very close friendships that I still have... I would say YT-Y has had a direct impact on my career; I now work in the arts doing drama and film work in community contexts.”
“What differences has youth theatre made? Immeasurable - it has affected every aspect of my life for the better.”
“YT-Y was brilliant. It gave me skills in devising, improvisation and writing my/our own plays and gave me confidence in performing.”
“I remember one activity where I had to stand on a box and everyone else had to bombard questions at me whilst I spoke continuously. It was a nightmare at the time but I have had to do a lot of public speaking since so it was good grounding!”
“Youth theatre has made massive differences for me - self-confidence, wide circle of friends, great opportunities - fantastic memories and experiences. I’m now Assistant Head of English at a school in Newcastle and frequently take my pupils to the theatre... Some of them have been in Byker Grove!”
“I was one of the founder members and joined in 1983 at the age of 12. I was always an imaginative, strong, independent, loner! At school I learned that my peers were likely to look down on me, on my tendency to be a bit different and not follow the crowd. YT-Y helped me learn that no matter what other I people think of me, I can succeed at whatever I want, and if anyone has a problem with me it’s their problem. I guess YT-Y helped build my confidence. It was a very important part of my teens.”
“YT-Y made an enormous difference to my life - it allowed me to explore the possibility of an acting career in a very safe and supportive environment. It also taught me the power of effective communication through drama, something which is very resonant in my work with Geese today.” (Geese Theatre Company specialises in work with offenders, taking performances and workshops into prisons and probation centres.)
“My favourite activity was the full group improvisations, where everyone joined in when they felt the urge - often hilarious! The residential weekends were fantastic experiences, and the production of Animal Farm that we did at the Arts Centre is a great memory.”
“I really enjoyed it, looking forward to it every Tuesday. So it definitely made a difference in terms of being a great hobby in my teenage years. It was good to have a different social scene other than school. Also it developed confidence in public situations.”
“After leaving YT- Y I was admittedly star-struck! But the reality of theatre soon revised my ambitions. I decided that ‘cut-throat face-fitting’ was not what I dreamt of... Gradually I began to use writing as an outlet for my creative expression. I am now a proud mum of a 7 year-old fellow thespian. He is my constant source of inspiration as I continue writing.”
Of course youth theatre does not work for everybody career-wise:
“I am now a Prisoner Custody Officer. So it’s probably not relevant.”
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